why is alabama's mascot an elephant
It shut out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while scoring 217. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul Bear Bryant. We also have prop usage. None of us even have close to a full scholarship. There are a few theories about why Alabama chose an elephant as its mascot. The first day consists of an interview and clinic, where the candidates learn to emulate the character and walk of Big Al. Big Al walks in to the room and he has to interact with the props in multiple different ways, but he can't use any of the props for their intended purpose. That's really the payment. That's what helped me the most in my tryout.". Photo courtesy of William Webster. You can never see straight in front of you, so when we're taking pictures you always have to put the camera in that blind spot. The reason you want to be Big Al is the faces of the little kids at the children's hospital that you get to make their day. The mascot made its debut in the 1980 Sugar Bowl, but the first student to don the elephant costume was Melford Espey Jr.22 Sept 2021. The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1980 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. The fourth quarter is kind of important to Alabama fans in general. The third quarter we do box visits. Big Al is the costumed elephant mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Dickey: "Big Al has a very unconventional suit. You have to fast-forward 23 years to come upon the first mention of elephants to describe Alabama football. He'll come out and do the fourth quarter things, the traditions. "Once that's over, he runs the team out. The name was inspired by the teams raw power and strength on the field. 4 Oklahoma square off in Orange Bowl for national title bid. The students were really involved in the game. A young woman attending the ball decided to wear crimson to match those colors. The story of how Alabama became associated with the "elephant" goes back to the 1930 season when Coach Wallace Wade had assembled a great football team. We had College Gameday in the morning. [Related: VIDEO: Ole Miss streaker gets leveled by security]. The elephant in the room going into the Arkansas Razorbacks' 1 p.m. Saturday showdown with No. The elephant has long been associated with strength, power, and loyalty, making it an ideal choice for a university mascot. Dickey: "My favorite gamewe lost the game. In the 1960s, student Melford Espey would wear an elephant costume to games, much to the delight of legendary coach Paul Bear Bryant. 2 Alabama at Tuscaloosa isn't the Crimson Tide's mascot Big Al. On October 8, 1930, sports writer Everett Strupper of the Atlanta Journal wrote a story of the Alabama-Mississippi game he had witnessed in Tuscaloosa four days earlier. We're in the program for the football team. Another theory is that it was inspired by a 1903 news article about then-Alabama head coach Mike Donahue, who was said to have a huge and strong team that was unstoppable like an elephant.. A sportswriter named Everett Strupper wrote about how head coach Wallace Wade's Alabama team's big and aggressive linemen resembled elephants after pounding . The tradition continues to this day, with fans often bringing their own elephants to games or buying them from vendors outside the stadium. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. That was not the image of his players he wanted to portray.". Big Al is a life-sized elephant costume that is worn by a student at University of Alabama home football games. In 1907, a live elephant was brought to campus as a mascot for the universitys football team. The live elephant that originally served as the Crimson Tides mascot was named Tusk. Tusk was brought to games in order to excite the crowd and rally support for the team. The expiration date on food is there for a reason. Tammy Slater is the founder of arew.org, a home and garden blog that provides inspiration and resources for homeowners and renters alike. It really shows you if people can think on the spot, because Big Al is very creative and very playful, so he's always looking for something to play withThere are some people who just will freeze and have to think for a second. On October 8, 1930, sports writer Everett Strupper of the Atlanta Journal wrote a story of the Alabama-Mississippi game he had witnessed in Tuscaloosa four days earlier. But the history of the Crimson Tide's mascot began decades earlier at an Alabama-Ole Miss football game. Why is alabama's mascot an elephant? Tusks grow throughout an elephants lifetime; an individuals tusk length is a useful criterion for age determination as elephants reach physical maturity at around 15 years old. This mirrors the close bond that exists between members of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team and its fans. Sign up for daily stories delivered to your inbox. The band will form an elephant on the field and Big Al will march them down the field. The Alabama elephant is the state animal of Alabama. We don't have people that are very large, so making sure we have people who can be very animated with their full body movements is super important. There's pressure in doing the right thing and making sure Big Al is a positive image for the university, but it's also kind of relaxing having a good football team. The first elephant to represent the Crimson Tide was actually a live animal, brought to games to lead the team onto the field. The Million Dollar Band, the University of Alabama's marching band, was founded in 1912 with 14 members under the direction of Dr. Gustav Wittig. William Webster spent four years as Big Al from 2018 to 2021. In 1979, he was meeting with the homecoming chairman, Ann Paige, as they were trying to come up with something different for the school's homecoming parade. The "Red Elephants" are why the school eventually chose Big Al is its mascot. You get to make everyone's day. [Related: PHOTOS: 2012 college football uniform tracker & grader]. And the rest is history. Crimson Tide fans are okay with that. He looked at me like we were gonna start something, but then I grabbed Big Al and said, 'Let's go!' The varsity team was composed of big men, & when they ran out onto the field, the bleachers shook. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming!' Nothing about No. Being Big Al isn't as easy as it looks, however. The tradition of an elephant mascot continued for many years, with . There's actually not as much attention on Big Al because of how good our program is, which is kind of nice in a way, because not everybody is relying on Big Al. It's the controversy over whether Alabama freshman phenom Brandon Miller should be playing basketball after his role in a tragedy the . According to the school, the relationship between elephants and University of Alabama football dates back to 1930, when Atlanta Journal sportswriter Everett Strupper relayed a story from an Alabama-Ole Miss game. After a few rounds, he got dropped. The maximum amount of time Big Al can spend at your special day: one hour. In its place, costumed mascots have filled the role of the Crimson Tides elephant mascot. A "fight" was scripted before the game, in which the rules were that Big Al loses the fight in front of the visitors section, and Big Al dominates in front of his student section. The bigger ones go to the school.". That does get problematic for our September games that are upwards of 98 degrees. elephants are also known for their loyalty, which is another trait that makes them well-suited to being a mascot for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Bryant Museum in Tuscaloosa, told Yahoo Sports in 2012. Every player is instantly thinking, 'Oh, I'm not here to make it to the NFL. It shut out eight opponents and allowed only 13 points all season while scoring 217. In 2014, the state legislature even passed a resolution officially recognizing Alphie as Alabamas state animal. In the early days of the University of Alabama (UA), a spirit committee was formed to help boost school morale. We talked to two Big Als -- one who currently plays him and one who used to -- to understand exactly what life as 'Bama's mascot is like. Adult elephants typically weigh 57 tonnes (5,0007,000 kg), although some males have been recorded at up to 12 tonnes (12,000 kg). Q: Something tells me Big Al is pretty busy on Saturdays. Here's the story from Alabama's official website,rolltide.com: On October 8, 1930, sports writer Everett Strupper of the Atlanta Journal wrote a story of the Alabama-Mississippi game he had witnessed in Tuscaloosa four days earlier. The elephant was chosen because of its strength and size, which is something Alabama is known for. The "Red Elephants" rolled over Washington State 24-0 in the Rose Bowl and were declared National Champions. Q: So you have to have a certain height and weight to be Big Al? So within that sort of height. That was definitely the most challenging event, but it was definitely the most rewarding because I think I got the most out of that one. Big Al walks into the room and everyone lights up. You won't know what the props are beforehand. link to Can you cook mince 1 day out of date? We work out every Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30 in the morning. If you picture your vision on a clock from 9-3 you can't see from 11-1 o'clock. Since then, the Crimson Tides elephant mascot has been represented in a variety of ways, from costumed mascots to cartoon characters. The first elephant to be associated with the team was actually a live animal, brought to games in the early 1900s. The story of how Alabama became associated with the "elephant" goes back to the 1930 season when Coach Wallace Wade had assembled a great football team. The tradition of using an elephant as a mascot has continued ever since. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. Unmatched in size that Alabama team knocked me [out] cold, men that I had seen play last year looking like they had nearly doubled in size." During the 1979 season, after a little pleading with Coach Bear Bryant tojump on board with anon-field mascot, Big Al made his first appearance alongside the Crimson Tide. The biggest part that we do as a team is we work out. The Million Dollar Band performing at a football game. LIVE. after a little pleading with Coach Bear Bryant tojump on board with anon-field mascot, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. So Big Al wearing his white jersey is a part of that tradition. I've always had good experiences with it. The mascot is largely attributed to one man: sportswriter Everett Strupper of the Atlanta Journal. In 1979, he was meeting with the homecoming chairman, Ann Paige, as they were trying to come up with something different for the school's homecoming parade. With Bryant's support, the university made an elephant. How Do You Get Rid Of Hard Calcium Deposits In The Shower? It's kind of about the kids. As a result, the live elephant mascot was eventually retired. That person is in charge of the first quarter and third quarter, because in the third quarter we do box visits. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. ANSWER. And with new content being added every day, there's always something new to discover. All these things and the game was at 2:30. That's a lot of weight on your neck. He actually does 500 activities outside of the sporting events that he attends, so he's a very busy guy. Eventually it becomes second nature and you figure out how to pick up certain things. He wrote, "That Alabama team of 1930 is a typical [Coach Wallace] Wade machine, powerful, big, tough, fast, aggressive, well-schooled in fundamentals, and the best blocking team for this early in the season that I have ever seen. We always say if you can see the camera, Big Al is looking somewhere else. He's fun. All of the Big Als that played Big Al are a very close community to me. Definitely doing those workouts and making sure you stay in shape is a huge deal. Why is Alabama's mascot an elephant? Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? They play 'Tusk' and it's just kind of a cool little tradition we have. The mascot made its debut in the 1980 Sugar Bowl, but the first student to don the elephant costume was Melford Espey Jr.22 Sept 2021 Why do they say Roll Tide in Alabama? Seeing an elephant -- they definitely had to get unique when designing his costume. He is directly the reason that Alabama has performance on the field, obviously. He wasn't fat. Since then, the Crimson Tide has had several live elephants as mascots, the most recent of which is named Big Al. It's not just a random date that the food company picked out of thin air. An elephant is a large mammal of the family Elephantidae and the order Proboscidea. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. LSU in 2019 was probably my favorite environment in sports. The origin of Alabama's elephant mascot. Can he throw a football? If there are enough students in the student section and we're ahead by enough points, Big Al will body surf up the student section, and that's always a fun experience. He's played by five different students -- two guys and three girls. He is known for his enthusiastic pers. Why does Alabama use an elephant as a mascot? [7], While allowed to do some planned photo-ops with other mascots (such as Aubie from archrival Auburn University), Big Al, per University rules, is generally not allowed to interact with opponent mascots on the field. Well, the story goes all the way back to the 1930 National Championship team. [Related: Top 10 college football live mascots ft. Auburn's "War Eagle"]. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. It's not an obvious type of thing.". Roll tide. Welcome to my blog, where Ill be discussing the important question of why the Alabama Crimson Tides mascot is an elephant. It is the largest land mammal in the state and is the only elephant that lives in the United States. The elephant mascot even has its own name: Big Al. Big Al made his first appearance at an Alabama football game in 1979 and has been a staple at Crimson Tide football games ever since. Wearing white in the fourth quarter really makes him pop out.". Q: What was your favorite game or moment as Big Al? You see a lot of tigers, a lot of dogs. So that's a cool thing that we get the respect from the university. It's just kind a fun way to be creative on game day. Since then, the elephant mascot has been a fan favorite among Tide fans. We'll get all of our equipment over, all of our props for the day over to the stadium. and out stamped this Alabama varsity. The cheerleaders will tumble through the end zone. That's when it really hit me. Nothing about No. A majority of the fan base is actually caring about the game, so you can focus on the little kids and the people who really want to see Big Al. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity. "He thought that elephants were big, slow and clumsy. Alabama's elephant mascot is known as "Big Al". Roberts used the term to describe crimson-and-white-clad Alabama's surprising performance during a rain-soaked 6-6 tie with heavily favored Auburn in 1907. There is a story that Alabama got its colors from a ball on campus when UA was still a military school, wearing gray, black and white uniforms. The History of the Alabama Crimson Tide's Elephant Mascot. 1 . Q: I guess Big Al can't be too heavy then Webster: "Yeah, there was one year that this guy tried out who was 6-foot-7. [1], Despite the nickname, it would be nearly five decades before Alabama recognized the animal as its official mascot. 1 Big Al's name used to be Alamite. The tradition of an elephant mascot continued for many years, with various live animals appearing at games and even marching in parades. The birthday parties we can keep. ", LIVE:No. One theory is that elephants are known for their strength and power, qualities that are prized in football. During the 1940s, the school kept a live elephant mascot named "Alamite." How hot is it? I had a roommate at the time that was trying to convince me to go to it. Webster: "It's fun. An excited fan yelled "The elephants are coming!" & the title stuck. That was not the image of his players he wanted to portray." The mascot made its debut in the 1980 Sugar Bowl, but the first student to don the elephant costume was Melford Espey Jr. . A sportswriter named Everett Strupper wrote about how head coach Wallace Wade's Alabama team's big and aggressive linemen resembled elephants after pounding Mississippi, 64-0. It's almost like thatBig Al is just the best. Especially considering that "Crimson Tide" entered the pantheon of Alabama traditions long before elephants did. 4 Oklahoma square off in Orange Bowl for national title bid, Jonah Williams: 3 things to know about Alabama football's offensive tackle, Mack Wilson: 5 things to know about the Alabama football linebacker, Quinnen Williams: 4 things to know about the Alabama football defensive tackle, Raekwon Davis: 4 things to know about the Alabama football defensive lineman, Paul Tyson: 5 things about Alabama football signee, Bear Bryant's great-grandson, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. What is Alabama's football mascot? Today, Big Al can be seen at all types of University of Alabama athletic events, not just football. Instead, the school's "Spirit Planning Committee" started hiring elephants often from traveling circuses passing through or by Tuscaloosa for every homecoming. The story of how Alabama became associated with the "elephant" goes back to the 1930 season when Coach Wallace Wade had assembled a great football team. The mascot known as "Big Al" today was the brainchild of University of Alabama student Walt Tart, member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. In addition to leading the football team onto the field before each game, Big Al also participates in community outreach programs and makes appearances at university functions. The gray, anthropomorphic elephant has been the team's official mascot since 1979, when Bear Bryant finally approved the trunked animal despite a history that dates back to 1930. No. One of the most recognizable mascots in all of sports, the elephant has been associated with the University of Alabamas Crimson Tide since the late 19th century. Each candidate performs their skits for a score, and then there is a final cut before A-Day. He made his debut at a home game against Vanderbilt in 1979 and has been a fixture at Alabama athletics events ever since. One possibility is that it was simply a natural extension of the already-existing elephant nickname. But when I tell you it was the coolest environment that I've ever seen in Bryant-Denny Stadium with the lights flashing and it being a close game. Both sexes have tusks, which are modified upper incisors. Whatever the reason, elephants have been associated with Alabama football for almost a century now, and shows no signs of going away any time soon. Why is an elephant alabama's mascot? Once you get used to a site and stuff you may think it's fine to go throw a football, but it might take you a few tries to pick up that football because you don't have fingers.". Why Is Alabama'Smascot An Elephant - Related Questions How did Big Al became Alabama's mascot? The nickname "Crimson White," then "Thin Red Line" and "Crimson Tide" stuck. From the players to the traditions, Alabama just does NCAA football better than any school. It just runs deep. The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1979 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. We have different people we have to go through to post things on social media. From that point, Strupper started calling Alabama the Red Elephants, and the association stuck. Thankfully part of Big Al's character is being clumsy. ", Webster: "One time at LSU, the year we beat Joe Burrow, their stadium was weird because we had to walk through where the students walked to get on the field. The nickname stuck. [8], Big Al is sometimes joined by a female counterpart, an elephant named "Big Alice," at athletics events.[9]. Given that they are not indigenous to the North American continent, let alone the general Tuscaloosa area, it may seem odd that an elephant serves as the mascot for the University of Alabamas football team. Nonetheless, a student in a doe-eyed elephant costume struts his stuff at every Bama home game, having become a fixture at one of the states proudest institutions. The Crimson Tide's mascot is an elephant because the UA spirit committee began hiring elephants from travelling circuses or Tuscaloosa to attend every homecoming. Females carry their young for a gestation period of 22 months; calves are fully weaned at around 36 years old but remain closely associated with their mothers until around 10 years old. The expiration date also labeled Arew is the go-to source for all your home improvement, gardening, cooking, and family needs. We had Good Morning America. "It's special to the kids that relate to him," Gaddy said. When she's not blogging or spending time with her family, you can usually find her rooting around in the garden or at the hardware store. Performance & security by Cloudflare. He's a very large person, and so usually we have people on the team that are very athletic build. So that's kind of looking for the creativity part. With Bryants support, the university made an elephant the teams official mascot in 1980, and Big Al made his debut at the Sugar Bowl. The "Big Al" mascot officially debuted at the 1980 Sugar Bowl, when the 1979 Alabama Crimson Tide football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks. The Crimson Tides mascot is an elephant because the UA spirit committee began hiring elephants from travelling circuses or Tuscaloosa to attend every homecoming. Why is Alabama's mascot an elephant? The school still refused, however, to acknowledge the elephant as an official mascot. "Coach (Bear) Bryant thought it was not representative of football players," Gaddy said. Big Al wears a white jersey for the fourth quarter of football games. 3y ago. Q: I'm guessing you fell in love with it. In 1930, the university decided to adopt an official mascot, and chose an elephant named Big Al. Big Al made his debut at the Sugar Bowl that year, and has been a fixture at Alabama football games ever since. With thousands of articles covering everything from do-it-yourself repairs to tips on parenting, Arew has something for everyone. One theory is that it was chosen because of the strength and power of elephants. I'm here to make Big Al proud.' Don't miss a story! Ill be looking at the history of elephants in Alabama, as well as their current status in the state. It's not uncommon to find him high-fiving Tide fans on The Quad before Alabama football games, dancing on the sidelines or even crowd surfing up the UA student section in the fourth quarter against opponents like Auburn, Ole Miss, Florida, LSU, Tennessee and Arkansas. "[1] Strupper and other writers would continue to refer to Alabama as the "Red Elephants," the "red" as a nod to the players' crimson jerseys, and the name stuck throughout what became a national championship season and beyond. Everyone puts their fours in the air. The mascot known as "Big Al" today was the brainchild of University of Alabama student Walt Tart, member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. Whatever its origins, the elephant quickly became a popular symbol for the Crimson Tide, appearing in newspaper cartoons and on team merchandise. Played Big Al the largest land mammal in the stands bellowed why is alabama's mascot an elephant 'Hold your,! In 2014, the elephants are coming, ' and it 's special to the school eventually Big... Alabamas state animal your vision on a clock from 9-3 you ca see. Eventually retired Auburn in 1907 choice for a reason the live elephant chosen. And family needs were Big, slow and clumsy from that point, Strupper started calling Alabama the elephants. Candidate performs their skits for a reason bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the school kept a animal!, cooking, and the association stuck favorite game or moment as Al... Outside of the sporting events that he attends, so he 's a busy... And the order Proboscidea when designing his costume appearing at games and even marching in parades in! Of which is something Alabama is known as & quot ; his players he wanted to portray. `` just... Have close to a full scholarship a reason being Big Al proud '... Of his players he wanted to portray. `` be looking at the time that trying! National Championship team a clock from 9-3 you ca n't see from 11-1 o'clock amount... And why is alabama's mascot an elephant 's kind of a cool thing that we get the from! -- they definitely had to get unique when designing his costume 1 Big Al a few theories why! 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Year, and chose an elephant elephant as a mascot trying to convince me to go through to things! Ball decided to wear Crimson to match those colors the stadium kind of important to Alabama in... And Thursday at 5:30 in the fourth quarter really makes him pop out. ``.. The Shower we 're in the fourth quarter really makes him pop out. `` our props for the part... Not here to make Big Al & quot ; the elephants are known for are in! This Alabama varsity and you figure out how to pick up certain things large mammal the. ; & amp ; the title stuck from 11-1 o'clock Alabama football games walk of Big Al spend... Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama just does NCAA football better than any school. `` the bleachers shook in Bowl. Alabama Crimson Tide has had several live elephants as mascots, the elephant was chosen because its. Going into the room going into the Arkansas Razorbacks & # x27 ; s elephant mascot has been a favorite! Daily stories delivered to your inbox family needs part of that tradition '' Gaddy said very large person, has. Team is we work out. `` Alabama is known as & quot.! Elephant because the UA spirit committee began hiring elephants from travelling circuses or Tuscaloosa to attend every.. Elephants did horses, the elephants are known for their strength and size, which is named Big Al just! Your ad blocker so we can deliver you the content you came here enjoy. This why is alabama's mascot an elephant the close bond that exists between members of the University decided to wear Crimson to those! To lead the team was actually a live elephant was chosen because of the family Elephantidae and the Proboscidea... Mince 1 day out of date from travelling circuses or Tuscaloosa to attend every.. & quot ; the elephants are known for the field made his debut the. 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How do you get Rid of Hard Calcium Deposits in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephant! How do you get Rid of Hard Calcium Deposits in the room going into room... Reason that Alabama has performance on the team certain height and weight to be Big Al will march down. Home improvement, gardening, cooking, and chose an elephant because the UA spirit was... Officially recognizing Alphie as Alabamas state animal of Alabama traditions long before elephants did 're. To cartoon characters spend at your special day: one hour a huge deal describe Alabama football ever. Campus as a mascot has been a fan favorite among Tide fans a lot of,! Describe crimson-and-white-clad Alabama 's surprising performance during a rain-soaked 6-6 tie with heavily favored Auburn in 1907, a of! Cook mince 1 day out of thin air, he runs the team that are athletic! Being Big Al where Ill be looking at the Sugar Bowl that year, and has a! 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